The Little Fairy
by Janet12
Summary: What if Vidia had escaped from the jar in Great Fairy Rescue? What if there are 'lost' fairies? What if one fell in love with a human? Is it possible for a fairy to become human? Is it safe? Vidia meets Jacquie, a fairy who has lived twenty years in the attic of the boy who laughed her to life. Vidia reluctantly joins Jacquie on her quest to become human. Rated for injury. AU.
1. Jacquie Graystorm

**Disclaimer: All recognizable subject material does not belong to me**

**The Little Fairy**

**Chapter 1**

**Jacquie Graystorm**

**Alternate Universe happenings of the Great Fairy Rescue**

**The first story in my Vidia series**

Vidia put her hands on the jar's side and got ready to roll the jar off the seat, but the human glanced protectively at her and she knew he'd notice and catch it. She slowly moved to the lid of the jar.

He'd punched holes in the lid to give her air – apparently he was a practiced kidnapper. Vidia put one hand in each hole and twisted hard. Nothing happened. She spread her feet to get good balance and took a deep breath, then tried again. It moved.

She glanced up at the human. She pulled her hands from the holes and moved to set her back against the jar. He quickly scanned the jar, then turned back to watch the road.

Releasing the breath she'd been holding, she walked cautiously back to the lid. She twisted it off and stepped out. Everything was louder and bumpier out there. She put the lid back on and twisted it back on, hoping that he wouldn't notice that she was gone.

Vidia jumped into the air, her wings working fast to propel her back over the road.

_I hope I can stop Tinkerbell and the others from mounting a rescue attempt._ She thought, trying to put on more speed.

She shot forward, then jerked as lightning lit up the sky. Thunder shook the ground and vibrated through the air, throwing her off course a little. She swooped lower, then straightened out.

"AH!" she zipped out of the way as a horse trotted through where she had been.

_Wrong side of the road._ She realized, and landed for a moment to catch her breath. Her heart was beating like an Indian tom-tom pounding an urgent warning.

She launched herself up and ripped through the air back toward the Griffith's home. She heard a sound coming from above and stopped short. A raindrop rocketed down right in front of her and crashed on the ground below.

She glanced up at the sky, then scanned the area, but there were no places to hide.

_Nothing for it._

She zoomed up into the air, following the road carefully. She saw a raindrop falling in front of her, and dodged so as to not run into it. She saw another directly in her path and put on more speed, hurtling forward.

Vidia narrowly escaped a collision, and she watched the raindrop as it colllided with the ground and shattered into a billion tiny droplets. She straightened to watch her path – too late.

_No!_

She tried to slow down – to stop – but she was going too fast.

The raindrop slammed into her and time seemed to slow. Vidia raked the air with her fingers and tried to will her dripping wings to move properly. The ground soared up to catch her. Wind raced past her ears, deafening her.

_They'll never know what happened to me._

The noise of the rain stopped abruptly. Vidia could hear footsteps nearby, and clop-clopping of horses hooves. Rainwater ran from a roof drainpipe and splashed out into the gutter.

_That wasn't as bad as I thought it would be._

Vidia tried to sit up, but it seemed as if she was paralyzed. She managed to blink her eyes open. The sky was dark blue, fading to black, and clear of clouds.

She sat up, startled, not noticing that she could move again.

_Where did the clouds go? Was I unconscious?_

Vidia suddenly realized it was very chilly, and shivered. She glanced around and realized she had fallen into a small, soft plant, crushing leaves and a few flowers. "Thanks for the padding." She fluffed up the surviving flowers, then drew back, horrified. "I sound like Rosetta."

"Look! A doll!"

Vidia froze.

**A young boy ran up to stand over her, and another joined him. They were both grubby and wet.**

**The first picked her up and she went rigid, trying to seem like a real doll. The boy used a gentle fingertip to move her arms and legs around.**

**"****What a flexible toy." he remarked.**

**"****My sister has one with a head that turns around backwards." the second suggested.**

**The boy moved his thumb and finger toward Vidia's head.**

**_They want a flexible toy, huh?_**

**Vidia leapt to her feet and flipped off his hand. The boys gasped in shock as she sailed through the air to land on the ground, then started running away.**

"How did that happen?"

"I don't know!"

"Leave it. It's jinxed."

"It's getting away! Grab it!"

"I'm not sure -"

"We can sell her!" one boy decided. "She'll bring in a lot of money."

"All right." the boys caught up with her and she suddenly whirled, facing her enemies.

"Grab her." One whispered.

The other leaned forward and extended his arm carefully, reaching for her.

He snatched it back as a fairy landed in between the boys and Vidia, just in front of the boy's fingertips. In both hands she held a spoon, as if she could use it to defeat them.

The boys drew back a little, but they hadn't given up yet. The fairy pulled a gold coin from her pocket and put it in the spoon, then used it as a catapult to throw the coin down the street.

"Get it!" one shouted, and both of them took off.

The fairy turned around, "Are you okay?" Her curly cinnamon hair sat in a short haircut. The spoon she held firmly in one hand. Her wings were folded, hidden under a jacket of leaves.

Vidia frowned. "I don't think I've met you, darling."

"I don't think we've met, either." The fairy shrugged, "What of it?"

"I meet all the fairies who come to the mainland. You aren't one of them."

The fairy drew back, startled. "You're one of the _regular _fairies?"

"I certainly am not regular, but I travel with all the rest of the ordinary ones." Vidia paused. "What do you mean 'regular fairies'?"

"The ones that aren't lost." the fairy explained, excited.

"Lost?" Vidia shook her head. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Lost fairies. I'm one of them. We never got blown to Pixie Hollow. We live wherever we're laughed."

"Wait – you're saying that we miss your laughs?" Vidia asked, suspicious. "That's impossible. We get every single one."

"So there are six billion fairies in Pixie Hollow?"

"Well – no, but -"

"These laughs are just _really quiet_." the fairy shrugged. "You _can't_ hear them. It's almost just a pleased breath."

Vidia paused, wishing she didn't have to believe.

_Lost fairies. They could turn all Pixie Hollow upside down forever. Nothing would ever be the same._

She shook her head, overwhelmed. "How many lost fairies are there?"

"Hundreds. I don't know - thousands. Only Minta would know how many are in the area, and she doesn't operate outside England."

Vidia didn't move. "Thousands."

The fairy tucked the spoon into her belt. "You've met Queen Clarion, then?"

"Of course. Everyone has." Vidia answered, recovering.

"When you tell her about me will I be able to go to Pixie Hollow?"

Vidia smiled. "She wouldn't have it any other way."

A small raindrop screamed down from above and smashed into the ground near them, splattering Vidia's shoes and ankles with tiny droplets of water and dirt. Another torpedoed down and landed several fairy-lengths away.

"We need to get inside." the fairy turned. "Follow me."

Vidia took a step after her, then paused. "Wait – who are you?"

"I'm Jacquie. And you're . . ?"

"Vidia."

"Nice to meet you, Vidia of Pixie Hollow. Hurry up – you'll get soaked again."

Vidia followed her down a street. She glanced up at the buildings lining the alley, tall and dark. A few stars were showing themselves and she quickly picked out the second from the right.

_Straight on 'til morning. As long as you have dust._

The stars were covered by a raincloud moving over the dark sky, and Vidia was reminded of the raindrops slamming dangerously around her.

"Vidia – up here." Jacquie called, and started climbing up the side of a brick building.

Vidia followed her to where she'd started and grabbed the vine rope that was made into a sturdy rope ladder.

She climbed up to a windowsill, where Jacquie had waited for her. Light shone through the sectioned stain glass window to turn Jacquie a flattering blue.

"Where to from here?" Vidia asked, quietly.

"Through here." Jacquie pulled a section of the glass out. "After you."

Vidia glanced through, cautiously, but the room seemed to be empty. She clambered through and found herself on a large, cushioned windowseat. Jacquie climbed in after her and sealed the window again.

It was a bedroom, with several chairs, a desk and writing equipment, and a fancy tall bed. Vidia glanced at the desk and felt a thrill of satisfaction to see the pen was the feather of a hawk.

"Vidia, it isn't safe to stand around there. Thomas will be going to bed soon." Jacquie called to her.

Vidia turned around, but Jacquie wasn't there. "Where'd you go?"

"Up here."

Vidia craned her neck upward. Jacquie was standing on the top of the curtain rod. "Use the cord to climb up." she advised. "The curtains aren't strong."

Vidia concerned herself with climbing up the thick curtain cord until she got to the top.

"See that cord hanging from the ceiling?" Jacquie pointed.

"Yes."

"That pulls open a trap door. When I pull it open slightly, you'll have to jump and get in the attic and get off the door. I'll get myself in fine."

"Okay." Vidia nodded, trying not to get excited. Jacquie didn't seem to think it was dangerous.

She vaulted easily into the air and grabbed the cord. Her weight and the impact pulled the trapdoor open slightly.

"Now!" she called.

Vidia swallowed and didn't look down. She curled her toes around the curtain rod and wished she had room to run and jump. She bent her knees and propelled herself into the air. She spent only a split second in midair – then she was landing, pulling herself into the attic, off the trapdoor.

Jacquie was suddenly behind her and the door shut. Vidia peered into the sudden dim light, but she turned and saw two points of light farther into the attic.

She blinked and let her eyes adjust to the darkness, then she managed to make out a human dollhouse – a regal castle towering over them. The candles sat on the watchtowers, overlooking the empty attic floor.

Jacquie gestured to the castle. "My home."

**The Little Fairy**

Vidia stood inside the plastic stone castle, looking out at the ramparts. "Why haven't you ever come to pixie hollow?" she asked, turning to Jacquie, who was holding two teacups carefully over a candle.

"I don't know where it is." she replied. "I've only just heard about it in the last year – Minta learns stuff like that."

"Who's Minta?" Vidia asked.

"Araminta, really. She's another lost fairy. She lives a good day's travel across rooftops. She's a good friend of mine – a good friend of everyone. She's a really friendly person."

Vidia thought for a moment. "So how long have you been here?"

"About twenty years." Jacquie answered. "I was born in a farmhouse outside london. The baby that laughed me to life had very fragile health – and a very small laugh - and I've looked after him. Thomas is almost twenty now. This used to be his castle. He'd play with toy soldiers in here for days on end while I would watch from up there." Jacquie pointed up to the rafters of the attic.

"This was his playroom."

"Yep." Jacquie said. "He had a girl cousin come over a few times when he was little. She wasn't so interested in soldiers – but liked to make them fly around like normal fairies."

"So you've never used pixie dust?"

"Of course not. None of us lost fairies fly properly. But I've made wings from bird feathers that fasten at the shoulder and wrist. I can glide from rooftop to rooftop pretty easily. I fly and camouflage myself at the same time." She grinned at Vidia.

"That's pretty neat." Vidia smiled. "What talent are you?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. What's your talent?"

"I'm a fast-flying talent fairy."

"What do you do with that?" Jacquie asked, surprised. "Fly really fast all the time?"

"I make whirlwinds and winds to bring fairies laughs to Pixie Hollow." Vidia replied. "What do you do with your magic? We might be able to figure out what talent you are."

"I shield Thomas from the rain when he goes out. When I was away he caught pneumonia and almost died, so I make sure he doesn't get wet on the way to the office."

"Well, you can control the rain. You must be a water fairy. Or a storm fairy."

"Storm fairy!" Jacquie grinned. "I like the sound of that. Jacquie Graystorm."

"Why _gray_storm?" Vidia asked.

"Storms are usually gray around here." Jacquie smirked. "I think the tea is hot enough." Vidia admired the plastic stonework in the castle as Jacquie walked down a sturdy set of built-in stairs to reach the level where Vidia stood.

"Hey, if you want to take a nap I'll watch the rain and get you up when it's dry." Jacquie offered.

"No, thanks. I'll stay awake with you." Vidia turned her down.

"Here you go." Jacquie put the tea down on the table. "Careful – it's hot." She held her own teacup in two hands and drank a large swallow.

Vidia reached for her own cup. Something skittered loudly over the floorboards – claws scraping the wood loudly. She drew back, startled.

"Don't worry about the rats." Jacquie rolled her eyes. "They're always causing trouble."

"Rats?" Vidia said, hesitantly.

"The cat will get them." Jacquie nodded assuringly.

"Cat?"

"He doesn't come near the candles. Almost ate me once, but I learned my lesson, and I always carry a spoon. He hates being hit over the nose with it." she shrugged. "Don't wander around the house without me and you'll be fine."

Vidia nodded, then spoke. "I didn't think little human boys had toy china sets." She picked up the teacup and sniffed the hot tea.

"They don't. These are from another lost fairy's human. She grew out of play china and threw it away. Portia grabbed all the useful china and gives it to her friends."

Vidia sniffed her tea, frowning. "It doesn't really smell like tea." she pointed out.

"Yeah. Thomas's parents really have terrible taste. They get the _nastiest_ tea. I can live with it – I've been drinking it my whole life." Jacquie took a big gulp of hers.

"His parents?" Vidia inquired. Vidia sat down at the table across from Jacquie.

"They used to live in the country, but they sold the farm and moved in with Thomas. He likes it because his mother is a good cook, and they need to be near a physician in their old age." Jacquie explained.

Vidia took a sip of tea, then held it her mouth for a moment, wondering if it would be rude to spit it back out. Then she swallowed. "I really like your leaf dress." She remarked, randomly.

"Thanks."

"But I think I'll skip the tea." She put the cup back on the table and pushed it away.

"That's fine." Jacquie smiled, sadly. "I'm really sorry."

Something in Jacquie's tone made Vidia worried. "Don't mention it. It's not my favorite flavor, that's all."

"That's not what I was talking about." Jacquie grimaced. "It's necessary."

Vidia stared at Jacquie until she suddenly went blurry around the edges. She stood – well, tried to stand. She pushed herself up using the table and swayed on the spot. "What have you -" Vidia choked. She glanced at the teacup and realized there had been something in the tea.

"What did you do?" Vidia asked, just before her knees buckled under her.

**Yep, to any who noticed, the title is from 'The Little Mermaid', which I have ****_not _****watched, but have read. This story will not be mirroring that plot. Vidia is the main character**_**, **__**not J**_**acquie.**


	2. Battle on the Rooftop

**Disclaimer: All recognizable subject material does not belong to me.**

**The Little Fairy**

**Chapter 2**

**The Quest and Battle on the Rooftop**

"Wake up. Vidia, snap out of it."

_Whose voice is that? _Vidia struggled to open her eyes.

"There you go." the same voice said, soothingly.

_Lizzie – what happened with Tinkerbell . . ._ Vidia shook her head slightly to clear it, but all she got in return was a dull headache.

"Where's the human girl?" Vidia muttered.

"There isn't any human girl." the voice told her, firmly. "I gave you a human painkiller – aspirin. I put a half-pill into your tea, and you had just a sip – it might still be too much. But I don't know what happens when you have too much, so we'll just see what happens."

Vidia suddenly remembered what was happening. She sat up, feeling strange, and wondering about her momentary disorientation. Jacquie was standing next to her.

"What's going on?" Vidia demanded. "Why did you put apsirin in the tea?"

"It's pronounced Aspirin." Jacquie corrected. "I don't want you going to Queen Clarion and taking me back to pixie hollow." Jacquie replied. She was packing stuff into a bag made of newspaper.

"What?" Vidia asked, incredulously.

"I asked if she'd bring me to Pixie Hollow. You said she wouldn't have it any other way."

"I meant if you _wanted_ to come she – in this situation – I have no idea what she'd do." Vidia admitted.

"You see?" Jacquie nodded, "I couldn't have let you go – you'd have told her about me and I'd be taken to Pixie Hollow. I've considered all the options. I can't drug you and leave you here because the cat would kill you. I can't drug you and leave you outside because the birds would eat you or humans would find you."

Vidia waited a minute. "So what _are_ you going to do?"

"Take you with me." She pulled Vidia to her feet. "We're leaving now."

Vidia stumbled, the floor seeming to spin weirdly.

"Leaving? Taking me with you?" Vidia shook her head, still dizzy. "Where are you – we – going? What's this all about, anyway?"

"Thomas." Jacquie's voice suddenly was gentle and low.

"The human boy." Vidia remembered.

"He's not a boy anymore, Vidia." Jacquie sighed. "He's a man. Intelligent, handsome and talented. And he does not know I exist. I'm head over wings in love, Vidia. With my human."

"You can't do anything about that, Jacquie." Vidia told her, seriously. "He's a human, you're a fairy."

"What if I could become human?"

Vidia stared at Jacquie. "You're completely mad."

"I am not!" Jacquie exclaimed, insulted – then she grinned. "Not _completely._"

"So if you aren't _completely_ mad, how are you going to become human." Vidia challenged.

"That's what we're going to find out." Jacquie picked up a bag from the floor and slung the two straps over her shoulders. "We have to leave as soon as possible."

"Hey – what about me getting home?" Vidia demanded.

"When we get to a suitable stopping point, I'll let you go, and you can find your way to a regular fairy."

Vidia sighed. "Look, just let me go. I promise that if you do, I won't tell anyone about you."

"I don't believe you." Jacquie said, bluntly. "Come on."

"The fairies are combing the city for me right now." Vidia said, seriously. "When they find you holding be prisoner, you'll _have _to come back to Pixie Hollow for kidnapping me. If you let me go now they'll never have to know about you."

"Sorry, Vidia. I can't risk it – you know that."

"You can't just take me with you!"

"Sure can." Jacquie replied, cheerfully.

"What if I started screaming for help once we're outside?"

"I'll knock you out."

Vidia stared at Jacquie. "What if I attack you?"

"I'll knock you out again."

Vidia sighed in defeat. She watched as Jacquie walked across the room and shoved a pencil into a holster on her bag, then put a two-prong olive fork into her belt. She grabbed a thick vine.

"Hands." she said, turning to Vidia.

"What?" Vidia said, outraged.

"You're my prisoner." Jacquie told her, firmly. "I don't want to be turning my back on a capable prisoner."

Vidia reluctantly extended her hands, and Jacquie tied them together.

"I can strangle you more efficiently now."

Jacquie grinned. "I'd like to see you try. You aren't going to fly away, are you?"

"All my dust got washed off during the rain." Vidia admitted.

"Good." Jacquie turned. "This way."

Vidia followed Jacquie to another rope ladder. As Jacquie climbed, Vidia looked up. She could see the end, that came out at a hole in the roof where sunlight streamed in.

_Morning. I've been missing all night._ She thought, miserably.

She grabbed a rung with both hands and started climbing up awkwardly. She clung tightly to the rungs and didn't slip.

Jacquie gave her a hand up and Vidia suddenly found herself standing in bright sunlight.

"Don't step off the ridge." Jacquie ordered. "If you step on the shingles you'll probably fall all the way off the roof, and it's a two story drop with cobblestones below. You won't survive."

"Okay." Vidia said, faintly. "Keep on the ridge. Got it."

Jacquie took a step down the ridge, then stopped. Vidia looked up.

It was covered in large birds.

Jacquie handed Vidia the fork. "Defend yourself with this and don't do anything stupid."

Vidia fumbled to get a good grip and nearly dropped it. Vidia ran her fingers over the tip and found it blunted. "How am I supposed to use this – my hands are tied."

"They're tied in front of you."

"Are the birds dangerous?"

"You've never met mourning doves?" Jacquie stared at her. "They're not picky eaters." she pulled the pencil from her bag. "One – three – seven . . ." Vidia could hear her murmuring under her breath, counting the birds.

"You mean they'll eat _us_?" Vidia asked, nervously.

"They might try when they notice we're here, but I'm good at getting rid of birds."

"You've fought them before?" Vidia asked, hopefully.

Jacquie shook her head slowly. "You have no idea."

A loud whistle split the air, and Vidia jumped, startled. "You could've warned me." She said, irritated.

Jacquie's only reply was to take a step toward the pigeon hopping to the fairies.

"You'd better not get us killed!" Vidia warned, taking a step away from the birds, whose eyes seemed to grow bigger as they watched her.

_I still have to get back and apologize to Tink for getting her caught._

The pigeon made a final bound to stand in front of Jacquie, fluttering his wings to stay upright. Immediately he leaned down and and snapped at her head. Jacquie darted out of the way and brought her pencil over her head to smack the bird's beak.

Vidia's mouth opened slightly in alarm and disbelief.

Jacquie stepped back to give some space between the now worried bird and herself. She ran straight toward it, then dived flat on her face and slid underneath the bird. As she skimmed across the roof underneath him, she whacked his foot with the pencil's pointed end. Surprised, the bird pulled it's foot into the air and let loose a loud series of whistles to warn the other birds, then flew away.

Several other birds jumped into the air and flew to another rooftop to settle. Jacquie moved forward to confront another bird the same way.

_Wow._

She heard a scratching behind her – like claws on the roof. She whirled around, coming face to beak with another mourning dove.

Vidia took a frantic step back. A large black eye was turned toward her, examining her. She held the fork up tentatively, taking a deep breath. The bird drew back slightly, then jerked forward, pecking at her.

She snatched the fork back toward her, then moved the prongs to block the attack. He jerked back, preparing for another attack, so she flipped the fork around and slammed the handle down right between the bird's eyes. Giving the same whistle-warble, the bird bounded into the air and soared away.

She heard another dove whistle loudly and she turned to look at Jacquie, who was just slamming her pencil down over a bird's beak so hard that Vidia thought she heard the weapon crack. Jacquie spun around and kicked him in the chin, forcing his head back up. That bird began to take off, and without another glance in his direction, Jacquie turned to another.

Vidia awkwardly held the fork upright with her knees and tried to saw the vine rope off her wrists, but the fork wasn't sharp enough. She jabbed at it until it was weak enough to stretch and slip off her hands.

Jacquie dropped to her stomach in front of a bird and swung her pencil to hid the bird's foot hard, then rolled to her feet just as the bird flapped into the air, his foot held up tenderly.

Jacquie was approaching another dove, clearing the way for them to walk across the ridge, but suddenly – all the birds decided it was too much trouble for a snack, and they took off into the sky, warbling loud calls, their wings making a wind to rival one of Vidia's best.

Vidia frowned.

_Why are they all leaving just now_? She wondered.

A shadow over the roof suddenly caught her eye, and she glanced up in time to see the open mouth of a hawk.

"Ah!" she screamed, stepping backwards, waving the fork threateningly. The hawk, unfazed, saw Jacquie and turned to swoop down on her.

_Let her die – you'll be free._ _The_ thought came unbidden into Vidia's head.

"Jacquie – look out!" she screamed, squelching any thought of escape.

Jacquie turned, pulling her pencil back out, then she saw the hawk. Her eyes widened, and she stepped back – off the ridge onto the slippery shingles.

"Whoa!" Jacquie yelled, her foot slipping from underneath her. "Ah!" she tumbled down the roof.

There was no time to move – to speak. Vidia dived for Jacquie's hand, but she wasn't close enough. She climbed to her feet as Jacquie crashed down the tilted roof. She rolled to a stop at the edge and managed to grab the drainpipe. She pulled herself up a little, but only managed to get a little better grip – the pipe was round and slippery.

"Hold on!" Vidia shouted, looking around for a safe way down.

"Don't step on the shingles!" Jacquie warned.

"It's the only way down." Vidia stabbed the olive fork into the shingle to use to climb down to Jacquie, then she prepared to start climbing down.

"I'm slipping!"

Vidia whirled to look at her.

Jacquie let go.

"No." Vidia breathed. "No, Jacquie!" she cried.

Vidia could hardly breathe, but she couldn't go look for Jacquie – or her dead body. She remembered her silent predator who was circling the roof, waiting for the right time.

She turned, searching the sky for the hawk, who was diving toward her, his beak open.

Vidia shrieked in fear and held her fork up as a spear, jabbing it toward him as he came closer and closer, then suddenly pulled up, flapping his wings quickly to not run into the roof. Vidia ducked as he went by, his feathers almost touching her. She breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that she'd scared him away.

He landed on the other end of the roof, walking toward her hungrily.

She paled, flexing her grip on the fork.

_Jacquie's gone – why fight_? Vidia turned and ran. She heard the hawk's feathers cutting through the air, winging overhead.

"Ah!" Vidia through herself to the ground as the hawk snatched at her with his talons. She lost her grip on the fork and it skated loudly across the ridge and paused on the edge, tilting toward the roof.

"No!" She launched herself toward it, but it tipped farther and plummeted down, bouncing off the roof and out of sight. Panting, she stood, facing the hawk. She could hear her heartbeat loudly in her ears. Her stomach tightened strangely, her breathing quickened on its own. She was going to die, defenseless, at the talons of a hawk. She tried to turn – to run away from her death, but she couldn't move. She turned her face away as the hawk jumped at her.

**My first follow! Hence, another chapter. Thanks, ****_LokiXSif_****!**

**If any old-time writers feel like it, you could help me out with tips on how to make Vidia more in character. I'm inexperienced when it comes to writing about other people's characters.**

**Hope you enjoyed it ~**

M.J.J.


	3. Beginning the Journey

**Disclaimer: All recognizable characters are not mine.**

**The Little Fairy**

**Chapter 3**

**Starting the Journey**

Vidia turned her face away as the hawk snapped at her.

Bang!

Vidia jumped, startled. Her mouth dropped open slightly, and she felt that she could breathe properly again.

Bang! - Jacquie thwacked the drainpipe with the fork again, distracting the hawk. She yanked the pencil from her belt and hurled it at the hawk. It bounced harmlessly off his feathers to land on the shingles. The hawk beat his feathers, trying to scare away his new enemy.

The pencil rolled back down the roof to Jacquie, who snatched up and used it and the fork to keep her balance as she walked back up to the roof's ridge.

Jacquie stepped between her unwilling companion and the hawk. She smiled, then bent her knees and held both weapons at the ready. She breathed deeply, waiting for her enemy to make the first move. The hawk hesitated, surprised by the new turn of events. He stuck his neck forward to bite at her with his sharp beak. Jacquie swung her weapons to the side then used them to strike the hawk's beak simultaneously from either side.

With a cry of pain and anger, the bird drew back. Jacquie hurled the pencil as a spear toward his eye but he ducked, the pencil skimming his feathers. Jacquie took a running start and jumped onto his back, still holding the two-pronged fork in her hands.

Vidia stared in awe as Jacquie twirled the fork to get speed, then stabbed the bird with it. Jacquie twisted the fork and pulled out several feathers, then used the bird's back as a slide and landed firmly behind him.

**Screee!** The bird screamed, then took off, flying straight away over the rooftops.

Jacquie turned to Vidia. "That went pretty well."

Vidia stared at her. "That went _well – went well_?" she demanded, breathing hard. "That bird scared the pixie dust off of me!"

"I thought you said the pixie dust was washed off." Jacquie said, suspiciously.

"It's a _figure_ _of_ _speech_, darling." Vidia stared at the hawk still flying away. "That certainly didn't '_go well'_, but as it would ruin my reputation to say you impressed me, I'll just say – _are you out of your mind_?"

"I'll take that as a compliment." Jacquie grinned. "Now we need to get back on track. We need to get a long way before we stop for the night. How did you get the vine off, anyway?"

"I used the fork."

"I guess I could just take you word that you won't run off, then." Jacquie said, hopefully.

"It would be pretty dumb of me to run away now. I don't even know which way I would go to get to fairy camp." Vidia lied, glancing down at the alleyway and knowing she could find her way back.

"Well, we're going this direction." Jacquie pointed. Vidia followed her silently off the roof. At the end, there was a rope and plank footbridge spanning the distance between two roofs. Straining her eyes, she could see a few planks missing.

"Jacquie, that bridge doesn't look very safe." she pointed out.

"I use it all the time." Jacquie laughed. "Don't worry – it's perfectly stable."

Vidia glanced suspiciously at Jacquie and followed her tentatively onto the bridge. She walked slowly, and each plank seemed to bend and creak under her light feet. They reached the next building without a fall.

**The Little Fairy**

Vidia sighed, stretching her tired muscles. "We must be close." she said, pulling her borrowed jacket closer around her and watching the very last rays of sun vanish over the tall buildings of London.

"Yep. We are." Jacquie finished off the small cake she'd been eating. "Okay, time to get going again." She stood.

Vidia pulled herself wearily to her feet. "I don't do much walking at home." she said, complaining. "I really hate walking."

Jacquie laughed. "I'm ready to go miles more before bed – but we're almost there, so you'll be able to rest soon." A bag slid from her pack as she straightened, and bounced quietly onto the flat roof.

"You something fell out of the pack." Vidia told her, getting up.

"Oh, thanks." Jacquie chased it down.

Vidia glanced around. The rooftops were clear, and the sun was high in the sky. There were no clouds in sight, and no shadows to speak of. A beautiful day.

_How hateful._

Vidia could only wish for clouds and evening dimness. The brightness seemed to reflect off of everything, and she felt as if she'd been walking forever.

Then she spotted them.

"Tink!" she screamed. "Tinkerbell! Down here! Tink!" she raced across the rooftop.

Jacquie jerked and saw her running away. "No, no, no _no!_" she took off after her escaping prisoner.

Vidia reached the edge of the roof. "Fawn! Tinkerbell!" she shrieked at the two fairies – but they weren't close enough.

"I'd even take a clothesline about now." she muttered. She looked around and suddenly noticed a small bride spanning the gap between the buildings. _Must be another lost fairy bridge._ She decided, and made for it.

Vidia raced across it – she hardly paid attention to the rickety condition. She reached the other side in a dangerously short time, then noticed that the bridge was tied to a small hook.

"Jacquie – don't follow me!" Vidia shouted, warningly, and Jacquie stepped back off the other end of the bridge.

Vidia quickly untied both knots and let the bridge fall, cutting Jacquie off from her. Jacquie face was impassive, but Vidia knew she had a plan. She turned and ran to where she'd seen Tink and Fawn, not looking back.

She pulled herself up onto the stone edging of the roof and looked down. She scanned the road. She spotted them farther up the road. "Tink! Fawn!" she screamed. "Help! HELP!"

Fawn stopped flying forward. She just hovered in the air, listening.

"Fawn! Fawn!" Vidia yelled. "TINKERBELL!"

They both started looking around.

"Look up!" Vidia shouted. "I'm up here!" She jumped off the edging and sprinted to the corner of the building where she'd be closer to her friends.

She was tackled to the ground. Jacquie had caught up. "Shut up!" Jacquie hissed. "Stop it!"

"They heard me." Vidia told her. "They know I'm here. They'll see you."

"They know you haven't got pixie dust anymore. They'll assume you're on the ground. And they'll be wrong." Jacquie shrugged. "Sorry."

She shoved a sliver of aspirin into Vidia's mouth, then put a hand over her lips, sealing them.

_Like she's practiced._ Vidia noticed, trying not to swallow. Then she had to.

**The Little Fairy**

"Would you like a drink?" The voice was high-pitched and sweet.

Vidia blinked. She was lying on a padded bench, in some sort of house.

"I'm Araminta." Araminta smiled, cheerfully. "Jacquie comes to me for information on other lost fairies, and I've sorted a way for the two of you to -"

"Jacquie kidnapped me." Vidia interrupted her. "I'm a normal fairy – from Pixie Hollow, and I have to get back. Can you help me?"

"It really isn't my business." Araminta pointed out. "It's between the two of you, and I know Jacquie's a fair and sensible fairy. You'll sort it out."

"Doesn't it matter to you?" Vidia asked, incredulously. "She _kidnapped_ me. Don't you even care?"

Araminta blinked, startled. "Don't be cross. I trust my friends. Jacquie's my friend. Therefore she must have a good reason for having kidnapped you. I don't need an explanation from her."

"You horrid creature." Vidia sat up.

Araminta drew back, offended. Then she seemed to recover. "If I interfered in all my friends affairs, being the judge of all the lost fairies I know – I would very dead. After you learn a little more about lost fairies, you'll be able to understand that." she paused. "You can call me Minta." she gave another smile and stood up. "When you feel recovered from the aspirin you can join Jacquie and me in the other room through this door." she left.

Vidia stood unsteadily and tested the strength of the wall. It seemed to be made of thick cardboard or thin wood, but she couldn't get through.

Eventually she decided that she'd go after Araminta. She stepped through the doorway. Jacquie was speaking to Araminta in a serious tone.

"You're sure there isn't anyone else? We aren't the greatest allies, you know. I don't know how well I'd be received."

"She's the only one. It's a fair specialty. Of course, you might be able to go to Scorpia, but I doubt she'd help you."

"No fear, I'm not going anywhere near her." Jacquie laughed, nervously.

"Who's Scorpia?" Vidia asked,

Jacquie looked up at Vidia, noticing her for the first time. She sighed, turning back to Araminta. "We'll go to Cassie, then." Jacquie decided, ignoring Vidia. "Thank you so much for all your help, Minta."

"My pleasure. It's good to see you. How are your humans?"

"They're all doing well." Jacquie nodded. "How's yours?"

"You know I don't talk about my humans." Araminta reminded her. "Thanks for asking, though."

"You're welcome." Jacquie got up and stretched. "Thanks for the book. I'm going to go and pack up for the next stretch of journey. Can you explain to Vidia what's going on? I don't think she feels like talking to me right now."

"Sure." Araminta smiled. "Vidia, come sit down."

"No, thanks." Vidia took a few steps toward her and watched Jacquie as she strode from the room, then turned back to Araminta. "What are you going to explain to me?"

"You and Jacquie are going to meet another lost fairy. Her name is Cassie. She collects magical . . . objects. Rings, stones, that sort of thing." Araminta explained. "If there is a way to turn Jacquie into a human, Cassie'll know."

"Why doesn't Jacquie want to go to Cassie?" Vidia queried.

"They aren't friends anymore." Araminta smirked, wistfully. "But ask Jacquie about that – It really isn't my story to tell."

"Can you give me a hint?"

"Don't worry, Vidia. You'll be perfectly safe. The only fairy to have beaten Jacquie – ever – was Nisassi, and she's not business right now. She's not even in the country."

"Nis – who?" Vidia asked.

"We need to leave." Jacquie appeared in the doorway. "Come on, Vidia."

Vidia stood, seething that she had to obey. But she could still protest.

"I bet Tink and Fawn saw me." she said. "They'll come looking – and they'll find you, too, Minta."

Minta frowned, but Vidia raised an eyebrow. "Is that something you want?"

"Let's go, Vidia." Jacquie pushed Vidia ahead of her out the door. She turned back to Araminta. "Don't worry. She's trying to make you nervous." she offered a cocky grin. "The next time you see me I'll be human. Drop by sometime."

Jacquie followed Vidia out of the door.

**The Little Fairy**

"How far are we from Cassie's home?" Vidia asked, shifting closer to the fire. They'd walked over almost a hundred buildings. The sky was getting dark, but over the edge of the roof Vidia could see the lampposts being lit.

"Not too far." Jacquie assured her. "Not as far as we've gone today."

"Oh, good." Vidia relished in relaxing for a few minutes. Then she couldn't stop herself from asking. "Why aren't you and Cassie friends?"

"She's a power hoarder." Jacquie replied.

"She hoards power." Vidia's sarcastic tone made it a question.

"No – she . . . hm. She collects things that give her power over other people. Magical objects, things that people want. Then everyone either has to give her something in return, or else owe her a favor."

"That's why you don't like her." Vidia nodded. "That makes sense. But why doesn't she like you?"

"There was an – incident. I think every lost fairy owes something to Araminta, (she doesn't want anything in return, of course) but that's why Cassie and I came when she asked us to help. A human she knows had gotten into trouble. He was studying fairies, you see, and he managed to – you can't know the details – it's sort of secret, but he got captured by a fairy scientist. We had the choice to either save Araminta's human, or else get a _very_ large amount of pixie dust. In the end, the choice was mine, and I saved the human. Cassie had wanted to get the pixie dust. She _said_ _it _was because she wanted to get home to pixie hollow, but I never believed her."

"Pixie hollow." Vidia sighed. "You're actually a really nice person, Jacquie."

"Thanks!" Jacquie smiled.

"I'm starting to dread when my friends catch up with us. There is no way they'd let you get away with kidnapping me." Vidia offered a sad smile. "I sure wonder what they're doing now."

**The Little Fairy**

"My wings are getting _really_ tired, Fawn." Tinkerbell dropped onto a rooftop. "Can we rest for a few minutes?"

"Sure." Fawn sat down next to her. "I hope she's all right. I think my heart stopped when the lid came off that jar and she wasn't there."

"Terrifying." Tink agreed.

"How long has it been now?"

"It's the end of the second day."

"So much could happen in two days." Fawn slammed her hand to the ground in frustration. "OW!" she cried.

"Are you okay?" Tinkerbell leaned over to look.

"My hand landed on – the handle of a trap door." Fawn used her wings to rise into the air and settle down again on the other side of the door. "It's a fairy-size trap door."

"Come on!" Tinkerbell pulled it open and flew in. Fawn followed. They flew down the ladder, then down a tunnel, and reached a door painted to look like flowers. They landed, looking at it.

"Do we knock?" Fawn asked.

Tinkerbell shrugged and proceeded to knock incredibly loudly.

The door opened slowly. Large purple eyes looked at them curiously. Suddenly a fairy yanked the door wide open.

"You're glowing!" she exclaimed. "You have pixie dust!"

Fawn blinked. "Yeah." she replied.

"Then you aren't lost fairies. You're Vidia's friends!"

"Lost fairies?" Tinkerbell frowned.

"Uh . ." Fawn held up a hand. "I don't know if you could say we're friends . . . "

"Who are you and where is she?" Tinkerbell pushed her way into the house and confronted the fairy.

"I'm Araminta." she answered. "I'm really glad you're here, 'cause I don't think she's safe."


	4. The Cintamani Stone

**Disclaimer: All recognizable subject material does not belong to me.**

**The Little Fairy**

**Chapter 4**

**Cintamani Stone**

"Don't you ever get tired, Jacquie?" Vidia collapsed to the ground. "I'm exhausted."

"I get tired – but I walk a lot. I'm used to it." Jacquie replied. She reached into her bag and pulled out a large book. She handed it to Vidia.

"You can read through this a bit if you'd like. It's a book of enchanted objects that Araminta loaned me. I don't know which ones Cassie has."

Vidia opened it. "Magical rings." she browsed through a bit. "Ring of dispel: a ring that purges magic or enchantment from other magical objects it touches."

"Not useful." Jacquie responded, firmly. "Keep going."

"Magical stones." Vidia flipped a few pages. Oh, there's a lot of those. How about the Sessho-seki stone?"

"What does it do?" Jacquie asked.

"Pebble chipped off a larger version if itself, but maintains full magical powers." Vidia read. "Kills anyone who touches it."

"That isn't what I was looking for." Jacquie said, in a confiding tone.

"No kidding." Vidia smiled. "Okay, then there's the Cintamani stone. The cintamani stone grants the wishes of whoever holds it."

"I could use that." Jacquie sat down next to her. "What does it say?"

"The Cintamani stone – grants wishes." Vidia repeated. "That's all – except there's a painting here – done by an art-talent fairy. See?"

"There's a picture of most of the magical objects." Jacquie noted. "That must be useful for making sure you don't touch the wrong stone."

"They may not be accurate. They're not all drawn from the real stone – some are from what people remember it to be – or legend." Vidia pointed out.

"Spoilsport." Jacquie scolded."Which stone is that? Is it the Cintamani or the Sessho-seki stone?"

Vidia shrugged. "It isn't labeled – I don't know."

"Let's keep going. We may get close to Cassie's home today."

"Get close to?" Vidia frowned. "Don't you mean get _to_?"

"I'm not going into the home of a vague acquaintance who holds a grudge against me without having a good night's sleep." Jacquie pointed out. "If we get into sight, we'll back off and sleep. In the morning, we'll announce ourselves."

Vidia nodded and got to her feet.

"Which roof are we crossing to from here?" she asked, surveying the nearby rooftops.

"Shhh."

"Huh?" Vidia turned around to look at Jacquie. "AH!" she stumbled backwards, even though Jacquie was between her and the bird. The _very_ hungry looking bird.

"Stay quiet." Jacquie ordered. "My bag is next to you. Grab my pencil and slide it to me."

Vidia pulled it out – suddenly she wondered if she could just run off, leave Jacquie to deal with the bird, and find her way back to the Fairy Camp. A millisecond later she made up her mind and obeyed Jacquie, sliding it across the roof to her.

Jacquie slipped her toe underneath the center of the pencil and flipped it up into the air. She caught it with one hand. She'd hardly moved at all.

"Maybe we could just be on our way. Maybe he doensn't really want trouble." Vidia suggested, nervously. "Give the big guy a chance."

"Don't worry." Jacquie rolled her eyes. "This should be a cinch." she started to move toward the bird.

"Be careful." Vidia winced as the bird came forward.

Suddenly she heard the sound of flapping wings and she turned, wind blowing in her face. A blackbird landed in front of her.

Vidia stared up at it. Suddenly it opened its mouth incredibly wide and cawed loudly.

Vidia covered her ears, backing away. The bird jumped forward. Vidia screamed and hurled Araminta's book at it. It bounced of the bird's chest and onto the ground. The bird looked down at it curiously, then suddenly snapped it up.

"Hey!" Vidia yelled. "Spit that out!"

The bird swallowed.

"Now the bird _and _Jacquie are going to kill me." she moaned, leaning down and rummaging through the bag for the olive fork.

The bird hopped forward, deciding that the book was only an appetizer. Vidia gave up looking for the fork and swung the bag by a strap as a weapon, just swinging it to keep the large bird away.

"Go away!" Vidia told it. "Nasty crow! Get back! Back!"

The bird reached forward and snagged the bag with a claw, throwing it to one side. Vidia yanked on the bag, trying to get it away, but was then thrown forward, falling on her face on the roof.

Vidia tried to push herself up but she suddenly felt dizzy and fell back down. Lying on her back, her sense of time strangely distorted, she blinked, feeling strange.

Then she noticed the crow standing over her, beak open.

Vidia flung her arms over her face as the beak descended. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed the first bird was gone, several feathers floating down where it had been, then suddenly Jacquie was standing over her, the pencil inserted into the blackbird's beak.

"Vidia – get up!" Jacquie ordered, impatiently. "Get away!"

Vidia scrambled to her feet and got out of the danger zone. She knew Jacquie could take care of the bird easily, and didn't want to get in the way. She scanned the sky worriedly for any more birds, but she didn't see any.

After a few swings of Jacquie's pencil, the bird took back off into the air, off to find more easily defeated dinner.

"That was fun." Jacquie twirled the pencil in her hand.

"Maybe for you!" Vidia snapped. "I almost got eaten." she felt quite limp. "I couldn't save the book. The one Araminta gave you."

"Save?" Jacquie looked uncertain.

"The bird ate it." Vidia replied. "I couldn't stop him."

Jacquie sighed. "Brilliant." she said, frustrated. "Just great."

"Sorry."

"No need to apologize." Jacquie turned toward her.

"I wasn't apologizing!" Vidia hastily backtracked. "I was saying I was sorry about the fact that your book got eaten-"

"You need a fighting lesson." Jacquie stated. "You really don't know what you're doing at all."

"I don't usually have to fight. I fly. No one can catch me when I fly."

"Good. So we'll work on your _non-flying_ skills." Jacquie shrugged. "We can work while we walk."

She tossed Vidia the fork.

**The Little Fairy**

"We're on a _bridge_, Jacquie. Can't it wait?" Vidia pointed out, holding the olive fork at the ready.

Jacquie shrugged, walking backwards down the bridge. "I don't mind – and you should get used to it. I'm going to thrust or swing. You need to parry either one. Okay? Ready?"

"Jacquie!" Vidia interrupted, trying to explain. "Wait a moment to start attacking again. It isn't safe. This bridge isn't even safe. We need to wait and practice when we get to the other side."

"You're spoiling all the fun, Vidia."

"Aren't you afraid that I'll get better than you, knock you out during practice and run away?" Vidia asked, bluntly.

"You? Get better than me?" Jacquie snorted a laugh.

Vidia glared. "Why's that funny?" she demanded.

"I don't think it's gonna happen, Vidia. I'm sorry." Jacquie gave a sympathetic smile. "Parry." She swung the pencil.

Out of the corner of her eye, Vidia could see dark clouds moving in – fast.

**The Little Fairy**

"How far?" Vidia asked, for the third time in as many minutes.

"That's determined by your pace." Jacquie pointed out. "And whether you keep stopping to ask me 'how far.'"

"Okay, never mind." Vidia continued stepping slowly through the water puddling around her feet.

"Hey – look on the bright side." Jacquie shrugged. "My powers as a fairy are keeping us from being rained on."

Jacquie's powers worked like an invisible umbrella, deflecting the water to the side in a square over their heads.

"My feet aren't any warmer, or even less wet." Vidia stuck to the dark and gloomy side of the situation.

"Would you like to stop?" Jacquie offered. "I'm agreeable."

"I'd like to get off this ridge and onto a proper, flat roof where I don't have to fear falling at every step." Vidia replied, snappily.

"You won't fall." Jacquie laughed, not looking back.

"But I could." Vidia insisted. "That roof is _really_ steep. I could fall and land in the gutter and get _stepped on_ by a human!" She took a few hurried steps to lean over Jacquie's shoulder to make her words more emphatic.

"What am I supposed to do about that?" Jacquie asked, helplessly.

"_Apologize_ for bringing me along!"

"I couldn't leave you there. The cat would've eaten you." Jacquie pointed out. "It was one or the other."

"You could've let me go." Vidia insisted. "I wouldn't have told anyone. I always keep my word. Almost always. On occasion. Once or twice."  
Jacquie cracked up, bursting into laughter. "You remind me so much of Gilroy." she grinned. "He could always make me laugh."

"Who's Gilroy?" Vidia asked, curiously.

"Someone I knew a long time ago. He had a way with words." as if trying to get away from the memory, Jacquie started walking faster.

Vidia picked up the pace, hurrying after the storm fairy. Water sloshed ankle deep all around her, and she had trouble keeping her footing.

"AH!" she yelped, slipping. She landed on the tilted roof. She held perfectly still, trying not to get pulled into the current of water sliding down around her. "Jacquie!"

"Don't move!" Jacquie yelled, dropping the water shield around herself as she reached for Vidia.

"I can't reach!" Vidia stretched up a little. A raindrop splashed onto the roof near her, splashing her, but she didn't move. "A little further!"

Jacquie leaned out a little more, holding her hand out to Vidia.

A raindrop torpedoed down, slicing through the air to impact Vidia's shoulder. She jerked, instinctively. "Jacquie!" she shrieked as she started to slide down.

Jacquie dived for her hand and missed.

Vidia rolled down to the end of the roof and managed to grab onto the drainpipe. She noticed a British flag hanging limply right next to her. It ended fairly close to the ground. She glanced up at Jacquie.

"Hang on, Vidia!" Jacquie called, walking cautiously down the roof. "I'll be right there."

Making her choice, Vidia let go.

"NO!" Jacquie shouted. "Vidia!"


	5. Freedom

**The Little Fairy**

**Chapter 5**

**Freed**

Vidia grabbed the flag tightly and slid down, the cloth slipping roughly through her fingers. She tightened her grip as she got close to the end. She grabbed at it as she didn't slow much, then she stopped, hanging at the end. Her legs swung helplessly with the wind as she glanced around to see if there was any way to not just drop from the flag.

_Nope._

She let go. Thanks to Jacquie's training, she landed on her feet, then rolled to absorb the impact.

_Jacqiue – she'll come looking for me. _Vidia scanned the area frantically for a hiding place. She saw a set of wooden stairs next to her, leading up to a house. She dived through a crack in the wood and huddled underneath, peering through a crack to see if Jacquie had followed her down yet. She pressed her ear to the damp ground to listen. A spider scurried past and paused, not used to seeing fairies. She glared at it and it hurried on its way.

"Vidia!" She heard Jacquie screaming her name. She slid down a support post for the porch roof. "Vidia!" she yelled again, looking around in a panic. "Vidia?"

Two large pigeons landed near her, but Jacquie barely paid any attention. "Oh, gee whiz! I've killed a Pixie Hollow fairy!" she spoke to herself, horrified. "Vidia? Where are you?"

The mourning pigeons hopped toward Jacquie.

_They want their mid-rain snack._ Vidia guessed. She pulled back into her hiding place. _She'll be fine. _Vidia told herself, assuringly. _She'll beat them, then go to meet Cassie. I'll wait until she's gone, then go find Tink and Fawn._

She leaned against the wooden stair frame, and her hand landed on something metal. She glanced down and saw the dim light reflected off the fork. Jacquie's best weapon. She heard feathers flapping loudly down the street, and turning to peek again, saw two more birds landing for their feast. Jacquie stopped yelling for Vidia and turned to meet her enemies. She reached to her belt for the fork, only to find it wasn't there.

"Drat!" she exclaimed, then reached over her right shoulder to grab the pencil in the holster on her pack. She paused.

_Why did I let Vidia carry the pack_?

Simultaneously, Vidia realized that she had the pencil.

_Why did she let me carry the pack_? Vidia looked back out at the birds, trying to figure out a plan. Jacquie was backing away, but another bird approaching caught Vidia's eye. Jacquie was trapped.

Vidia kicked out the rotting wood to squeeze out from under the stairs more quickly. The spiders stared in dismay as light burst into their wet, dark home, but Vidia ignored them, moving back out into the light. Her feet pounded the street as she sprinted toward Jacquie, her mind whirling as she tried to concentrate.

_She'll be dead and gutted when I get there – distract them!_

"Over here!" Vidia shouted, waving the fork and pencil in the air. "Yoohoo! Hey! You don't want her – she's too tough!"

Two pigeons glanced up. Vidia's breathing quickened, but she didn't slow, she kept racing toward them.

"Vidia! Thank goodness!" Jacquie exclaimed, "Whoa!" she dived to the ground and rolled out of the way as a pigeon snapped at her. "Throw me the fork!"

"I can't throw that far!" Vidia shouted back.

"Then think of something!" Jacquie dodged another pigeon's beak.

Vidia slowed to a stop, two pigeons heading for her.

"Shield yourself!" Vidia yelled. "With your talent! Quick!"

Jacquie turned, surprised.

Vidia took a deep breath, trying to slow her triphammer heartbeat. She used every spark of magic she could find left inside her to create a wind circling Jacquie, leaving the birds outside.

Most of the birds flew away, terrified. The braver ones waited only a few moments to find other prey. The street was clear except for the whirlwind viciously encircling Jacquie. Vidia let the wind burst. Jacquie stood there, using her storm talent to shield herself, then she let the weather-barrier fall.

Vidia sprinted toward her, shoving the fork back in her belt and sliding the pencil into the pack.

"Are you okay?" she asked, anxious.

"A little bruised." Jacquie was breathless, and sat down, resting for a moment. "Good strong wind you made there." she managed.

"Nice barrier." Vidia smiled and sat down next to Jacquie. She passed her the fork. "We should each have a weapon after this."

"Yeah." Jacquie took it gently, running her fingertips over the tarnished tines. "Thanks, Vidia."

"No problem – how far are we from Cassie's home?" Vidia got back to business. _Sooner we get there, the sooner I'll get back to fairy camp._

"Not far."

"How long will it take us?" Vidia asked.

"It'll take only an hour or two, but then I'll stop for the night to make sure I'm fully alert when I meet Cassie." Jacquie hesitated. "Right there, when the pigeons attacked me – you could have left, but you didn't. You chose to help me instead. I didn't think you would do that – I'm sorry."

"I was just trying out being a normal, decent fairy." Vidia replied, then grinned. "It won't happen again."

"I'm going to try out being a normal, decent fairy in return." Jacquie decided. "Just this once."

Vidia fell silent, watching her guardedly.

"You can go."

A bird flew overhead. From the corner of her eye, Vidia saw a rat scurrying down the other end of the street, splashing through puddles. A human carriage slowed to a stop at a crossing nearby, but Jacquie and Vidia remained sitting in the street, not really noticing what went on.

"What?" Vidia finally found a word suitable to reply with.

"You can go to your friends." Jacquie repeated. "The normal fairies. I'm so near to Cassie now that your Fairy Queen can't stop me."

"If she wanted to." Vidia snorted a laugh. "Which – she might, actually." Vidia paused, thoughtfully. "Thanks, Jacquie."

"You're welcome." Jacquie got up. "You know, you're a pretty pleasant traveling companion." Jacquie turned and walked away.

Vidia didn't move. _That's a first. She thinks I'm _**_pleasant_**? "Something is seriously wrong with that fairy. She muttered, smiling, then climbed to her feet.

_Where am I, anyway_? Vidia looked around. Jacquie was close to the post she'd slid down earlier, and seemed to mean to climb back up. She'd be gone in a minute or two.

_I've got her pack. _Vidia realized. _She'll have to carry it the entire way – and what if she runs into pigeons_? _Or rats or something_? _There is something seriously wrong with me, too. _

"Jacquie! Wait!" Vidia yelled, and dashed forward. "Jacquie!"

Jacquie stopped, startled.

"Your pack." Vidia panted, slowing to a stop. "You forgot it." Vidia pulled it off her shoulders and handed it to her friend.

"Thanks."

"Hey -" Vidia paused, then made up her mind. "I've come this far – I might as well finish with you."

Jacquie frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I mean I'm coming with you." she announced, firmly.

"That's ridiculous." Jacquie protested. "I kidnapped you."

"And this 'Cassie' fairy doesn't sound safe to me. There's strength in numbers." Vidia pointed out.

There was silence for a moment.

Jacquie stared at her. "You're crazy."

"Besides, you'd miss me."

Jacquie sighed, shaking her head in astonishment. "I think I would." she admitted. "All right – let's go."

**The Little Fairy**

Jacquie pulled herself up to peek over the edge of the roof. The sun hadn't risen in the east yet, but the sky was just then turning to a dim gray.

"See that chimney over there?" she tilted her head toward it.

"Yep." Vidia nodded.

"Look just to the right. It's camouflaged so humans won't see it, so it might take a minute." Jacquie pointed. "That's Cassie's house."

Vidia saw it after a moment, as it was painted exactly the same gray as the roof. "That's a really big house."

"She keeps a lot of secrets." Jacquie shrugged. "Must take some space." she hoisted herself up over the edge of the roof. She scanned the area carefully. "Looks clear – come on."

Vidia scrambled over the edge of the building. "Okay, let's get this over with."

They started walking toward the house, but Jacquie stopped short, holding up a hand.

"What is it?"

"Sh."

"I don't hear anything." Vidia whispered.

Jacquie didn't reply. She glanced around, then suddenly looked up. A chimney loomed up near them, and on top stood another fairy.

"Ah!" Vidia yelped, surprised.

Jacquie just took a step back. "Nataly? What are you doing here?"

"You know her? Who is she?"

"Nataly. A professional bodyguard."

"Cassie has a bodyguard? And you didn't tell me before this?"

"I don't even know if she works for Cassie." Jacquie murmured. "Shut up."

Nataly jumped off the chimney to land gracefully in front of them.

"So you're working for Cassie?" Jacquie guessed.

"I am."

"Why does Cassie want a bodyguard?" Vidia hissed.

"Shush." Jacquie didn't look at Vidia. She held her hands out, palms facing Nataly. "We're here to talk to Cassie. We're not hostile. I'll put my pencil on the ground. I won't act dangerous in any way."

Nataly stiffened as Jacquie pulled the pencil out, but Jacquie simply put it down on the porch. She kicked it gently away. "We need to talk to Cassie."

"You won't talk to Cassie." Nataly said. It was no request.

"And why not?" Vidia put her hands on her hips, raising an eyebrow.

"She doesn't want visitors."

"It's urgent." Jacquie said, impatiently. "I need to speak to her."

"She won't see you."

"I will speak to her with or without your permission." Jacquie said, warningly.

"If you do not leave immediately, I will throw you both off the roof." Nataly threatened.

"Oh, look here!" Vidia said, pointedly. "You haven't even asked her if she wants to see us! Can't you just do that?" She took a step forward.

Nataly took a step forward to meet her, and suddenly punched her in the face. Vidia spun around from the blow, and, losing her balance, fell on her face.

As Nataly threw the punch, Jacquie dived to her pencil, and rolled to her feet, holding the weapon tightly in both hands.

Vidia blinked and rolled into a sitting position, trying to clear her now fuzzy head.

Nataly stepped toward Jacquie. "Leave. Now." she ordered.

"Not a chance, Nataly." Jacquie said, gravely. "I'm not going anywhere."


	6. Meeting Cassie

**Disclaimer: all recognizable characters do not belong to me.**

**The Little Fairy**

**Chapter 6**

**Cassie**

Nataly didn't respond, but her knuckles turned white as she gripped her weapons tightly, ready to fight.

Jacquie simply stood opposite Nataly, unmoving, as Vidia started to climb to her feet a few inches away.

Nataly suddenly swung one pin forward, but Jacquie used her pencil to block the blow. Nataly used the other to try to stab her, but Jacquie spun the pencil, trying to wound Nataly. Both moved away from the other's weapon, and stood back for a moment, weighing weaknesses and strengths.

Vidia slid the backpack off her shoulders and pulled out the two-pronged fork.

She held it in both hands.

"Jacquie." she said, and neither fairy looked in her direction. Vidia lightly tapped the fork prongs against the ground, hoping that Jacquie would recognize the sound and understand.

Jacquie suddenly hurled her pencil toward Nataly, who dived to one side. Jacquie turned to Vidia. "Here!" she shouted, and Vidia tossed her the fork. Jacquie turned back just in time to deflect a hard swing from one of Nataly's pins. Nataly used the other one to stab, but Jacquie moved to the side, then hit Nataly's wrist with the fork. Nataly jerked her hand back, managing to hold onto her pin. She took a step back, and so did Jacquie. They each took a few steps, circling.

_Circling to the pencil._ Vidia realized. Nataly did, too.

Jacquie ran away from Nataly toward where the pencil had landed, and Nataly chased her down. Vidia wasn't sure what she should do, then suddenly she took off for the house.

Jacquie used her foot to flip the pencil into the air. She caught it and turned back to Nataly, fork in her left hand, pencil in her right.

Jacquie struck first, holding the fork at the ready, and bringing the pencil in a wide swing at Nataly's head. Nataly ducked easily, and used her pins to force the pencil to the ground. Jacquie jerked her pencil upward with such force that Nataly let go of one of her pins and it bounced across the floor.

Jacquie watched it for a second or two, wondering if she could get to it before Nataly, but her opponent suddenly punched her in the stomach with her free hand and knocked the fork from her hand with her remaining pin.

They each drew back, with only one weapon – the other ones far away.

Vidia pounded on the door, but neither of the fighters seemed to have heard her. She watched them carefully. She was surprised that _anyone_ could fight as well as Jacquie, let alone defeat her, but right now she was worried that Nataly could _kill_ Jacquie.

She turned back and pounded on the door again.

It opened under her hand.

The fairy wasn't tall or scary. She was shorter than Vidia, with reddish hair.

"Who are you?" she asked, surprised, then suddenly noticed Jacquie and Nataly circling warily. "No!" she called, horrified, pushing Vidia out of the way. She was surprisingly strong. "Nataly, no! Don't fight! Please! Stop fighting." she stopped between them. "No fighting. I really didn't mean for you to take that so literally, Nataly. I just was busy, that's all." she said, soothingly. "I can handle it. They aren't enemies, I'm sure."

Nataly regarded her coldly.

"I'll call you if I need you." Cassie promised. "You can go."

Nataly sheathed her pin, then turned and walked away, getting her other pin on the way.

"I am _so_ sorry." Cassie said to Jacquie. "I never meant -" she stopped short. "Jacquie?"

"Hi, Cassie." Jacquie made no move to put her weapons away.

"You got a haircut." Cassie nodded. "You sure look different."

"You do, too."

"I'm really sorry about Nataly. I hired her, but she just – she doesn't think anything is figurative. She doesn't understand when I'm joking, and I guess she thought I meant what I said when I told her to not let anyone in and to _'throw'_ them off the roof."

"Yeah. She thought you meant it all right." Jacquie replied.

Cassie remained silent for a moment. "Who's your friend?" she turned to Vidia, smiling.

"We're close acquaintances." Vidia said, coolly, walking up. "I'm Vidia."

"Nice to meet you, Vidia." Cassie smiled, pleasantly.

"She's a normal fairy." Jacquie said.

"Really?" Cassie breathed. "Come in!" she let them both into her house. "Would you like something to drink?" she was surprisingly polite.

"No, thanks." Jacquie said, sitting down and leaning her pencil against the table next to her. Vidia sat down opposite her.

Cassie sat down. "What can I do for you two?"

"It's pretty well known that you collect magical artifacts, Cassie." Jacquie began.

"Yeah. I've got a pretty big collection." Cassie smiled. "Do you want to use a spell?"

"I want to become human."

Cassie blinked. "What?"

"I want to become human."

"Why would you ever want that?" Cassie frowned,

Jacquie paused.

"She's in love with her human." Vidia replied. "Can you help her?"

"I think I can." Cassie nodded, slowly. "But I want something in return. Vidia, if you will take me back to Pixie Hollow with you, I'll let Jacquie have the Ring of the Princess. That ring fulfills it's user's greatest desire, and if you truly want to be human, it will do it."

"Done." Vidia said, "Can you get the ring right now?"

"Certainly." Cassie paused. "But your clothes aren't suitable for humans . . . Nataly!" she called.

Nataly stepped inside. "Are they bothering you?"

"No." Cassie assured her. "Can you find me a human garment?"

Nataly nodded and shut the door silently behind her.

"Good." Cassie smiled. "Follow me."

Cassie led them up a few stairs into a round room with shelves on all sides. There were stones, rings, beads, flowers, leaves – even some feathers. Vidia stayed away from them, not wanting to disturb them. Cassie picked up a shell box and was about to hand it to Jacquie. "We'd better go outside. You'll be too big in a minute." she pointed out.

She led the way back outside. "Have a seat." she told them.

There were a few stones set around, and Vidia and Jacquie each sat down, waiting. Cassie opened the box and carefully put on spiderweb gloves before touching the ring. She set it on a rock next to Jacquie.

Glancing around, Vidia noticed a human dress lying close by. Nataly wasn't in sight.  
"Jacquie, I want you to think carefully about what you do, because there isn't any turning back." Cassie warned her.

"I'm certain that this is what I want." Jacquie didn't hesitate.

"All right. Think about it. Think about being human. Then touch the ring." Cassie instructed, gravely.

"Thanks, Cassie." Jacquie said, gratefully, reaching for the ring.

Vidia held her breath.

"Don't thank me yet." Cassie muttered, in a low voice.


	7. Ring of Dispel

**The Little Fairy**

**Chapter 7**

**The Ring of Dispel**

Jacquie picked up the ring.

Vidia leaned forward to look at it.

"No! Jacquie! Drop it!" she screamed. "That's the Ring of Dispel!"

Jacquie dropped it and jumped to her feet, glancing at Cassie, who was smirking slightly.

"Why did you -" Jacquie paused, then pitched forward onto the ground.

"Jacquie!" Vidia screamed. She kicked the ring away and knelt by Jacquie. "Jacquie, say something."

"Nataly!" Cassie called. "Take Vidia into the house."

"No, Jacquie!" Vidia shrieked. She whirled to look at Cassie. "What did you do to her?"

"It wasn't me." Cassie said, smiling openly now. "It was the Ring of Dispel. The Ring removes magic and enchantments. If the magic is drawn from a fairy, they die. I've tried it before. There isn't any cure. If an enchantment is used to give them back their magic, the ring removes the enchantment in a few moments. Nothing can save her, but it will take her some time to die. Take her into the house – now." the last was directed to Nataly.

Nataly grabbed hold of Vidia's hair and pulled her to her feet.

"Let me go!"

Nataly used a piece of leave rope to tie Vidia's hands in front of her, making sure she couldn't fight back well.

"Why did you have to kill her?" Vidia demanded.  
"She knows where my home is. No one else does – not even Araminta. I moved since anyone saw me. I don't know how Jacquie found out, but _no one_ must find out." Cassie said, firmly. "She was a threat to all my magical objects. And you still are."

Nataly pushed Vidia into the house, and Cassie followed. Cassie barred the door with a thick twig. "You can go, Nataly. She won't be a problem."

Nataly disappeared through a door Vidia hadn't noticed before.

Cassie turned to Vidia. "Give me a moment." she went back to her room full of magic objects. Vidia noticed Jacquie's pencil leaning against the table.

**The Little Fairy**

"At least now we know that she lives on a rooftop." Fawn said, tiredly. "We don't have to search the streets."

"She might have been lying about the place, you know." Tinkerbell mused.

"Araminta wasn't lying." Fawn said, stubbornly. "At least not on purpose. Cassie must have moved."

"What's that down there?" Tinkerbell said, pointing. "It looks like a house!"

"And a fairy outside!" Fawn said, excitedly, and dived toward her.

"Hello! Is this Cassie's home?" Fawn asked, in a friendly tone.

The fairy didn't respond.

"Wake up!" Tinkerbell said, loudly.

"I think she's hurt." Fawn knelt beside her.

"What's this?" Tinkerbell gestured toward the ring.

"We'd better not touch it. It looks special."

Tinkerbell nodded. "What's wrong with her?"

"I'm no expert, but it seems like she's dying of disbelief – but not quite. It isn't like that. It's more like she's . . . sick."

"I'm going to knock." Tinkerbell announced, and flew to the door.

**The Little Fairy**

"Nataly hasn't always been my servant." Cassie began as she stepped back into the room carrying a shell box. "She used to be a plain lost fairy – like Jacquie – but she had good fighting skills – the best I've seen. So I used a special ring of mine on her. Now she has no thought but to obey me." Cassie pulled a ring from the box. "It was this ring."

"And why are you telling me this?" Vidia asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I don't want you to be afraid that I'm about to kill you." Cassie smiled. "You aren't the best fighter – I watched you earlier. But at least you look scary, with your black hair -"

"Plum hair." Vidia corrected.

"And grumpy, arrogant looks." Cassie ignored her. "You'll be a decorative guard, mostly."

"I think I'd rather be dead." Vidia rolled her eyes.

Cassie leaned toward her. "Don't say that." she said, in a spooky tone.

"I'll say what I like." Vidia raised her eyebrow arrogantly.

She held out the ring toward Vidia's face. "Don't worry, Vidia. One touch. It won't hurt at all."

Vidia leaned backwards away as Cassie reached forward.

Tinkerbell knocked hard on the door.

"Busy! Wait for a few minutes!" Cassie called, turning her head away from Vidia, and toward the door.

Vidia say her chance. She pulled her knees to her chest like she'd seen Jacquie do, then pushed them out with lightning speed. More simply, she kicked Cassie in the stomach.

Cassie fell backwards with a loud thump, and the ring loudly bounced a few inches away.

"Is everything okay in there?" Tinkerbell's voice sounded faraway through the thick door.

"Help!" Vidia shouted. "Tink, help me!"

"Vidia?" Tinkerbell turned to Fawn. "Help me get inside! Vidia's in there – she's in trouble!"

Vidia jumped to her feet and grabbed Jacquie's pencil. She stabbed a hole through the rope around her wrists, but it didn't break.

"Ahh!" She sprawled forward as Cassie used the shell box to hit her in the back of the head.

She felt Cassie grip her arm and pull her to her feet. She blinked a few times, slightly stunned, then stumbled back as Cassie punched her in the stomach. Vidia yanked on the rope and her wrists flew apart, one hitting Cassie in the cheek.

She struck Cassie again, then moved away and pulled off her backpack. She dumped everything out of it and managed to grab a small piece of aspirin. Cassie stood opposite her, waiting, while Vidia slipped the aspirin into her belt, then moved in. She ducked Cassie's desperate swing, then kicked her in the chest, knocking her onto the floor. In a moment, Vidia was on the floor next to her, pushing the aspirin into her mouth and holding it shut until she swallowed.

Cassie went limp, and Vidia sighed in relief. She looked up as she heard frantic tapping at the window. Tink and Fawn were looking in, gesturing for her to open the door. She couldn't help herself from breaking into a smile as she stood. A board creaked behind her and she whipped around. Nataly was standing there, unmoving.

"Any chance that we could talk this out?" Vidia asked, nervously.

Nataly didn't move at all.

Vidia turned and sprinted for the door.


	8. Battle against Nataly

**The Little Fairy**

**Chapter 8**

**Nataly**

Vidia's fingers had just curled around the bar across the door when Nataly seized her arms and swung her around, knocking her onto the ground.

"Vidia! Are you okay? Who's that?" Vidia could hear Fawn and Tinkerbell outside, trying to get in, and their voices jumbling together, but there wasn't anything she could do about it. She snatched up the pencil, then tried to throw it like Jacquie did, but it didn't fly straight. Nataly easily knocked it away, then reached down to pick it up. Vidia made a dash for the window, and reached for the lock.

She heard a strange whirring sound, then one of Nataly's razor-sharp pins was sticking from the wood crossbar of the window, only a few hairs' width from her her hand. It was quivering slightly from the force of being thrown.

Vidia snatched her hand away from the window, and backed across the room as Nataly stepped to the window and yanked her pin out of the wood.

_Block that way if she swings, and _**_that_** _way if she stabs._ Vidia tried to remember all that Jacquie had tried to teach her.

Vidia didn't back up as Nataly held the pencil easily, the way that Jacquie had always did. Nataly jumped forward and swung the tip toward Vidia's chest, trying to impale her. All the motion around Vidia seemed to slow, just slightly. She knew it counted as a stab, so she bent her knees and circle-kicked the pencil so hard that it whipped across the room and sank into the wall.

Vidia raised an eyebrow, surprised. She could hear Tinkerbell and Fawn cheering from the window, and Nataly seemed to be more on her guard.

_They think _**_they're_** _impressed._ Vidia snorted a near silent laugh. "Are you still sure you want to fight me?" she challenged, crossing her arms in a the careless, arrogant manner that Jacquie only adopted when she knew she was outnumbered and that there was no way her enemies would win.

Nataly didn't speak, but turned as if to walk away.

Vidia blinked, very surprised.

Nataly paused, her hand resting on the back of a chair, then suddenly she grabbed it, spun it around, then flung it across the room.

Vidia had no time to duck, but found herself flipping backward into the air. She landed on the table, then rolled off and slammed into the wall.

"Vidia!"

"Vidia, are you okay?"

"Can you get up?"

The window rattled, probably Tinkerbell trying to get leverage.

Vidia shook her head, dazed, as she tried to focus on the voices that were shouting from outside. Nataly was standing, silent, across the room. She hadn't moved forward.

_She could have killed me right then. She's playing with me._ Vidia didn't think before that she could be more angry, but she found herself growing more furious by the second. She felt very sore, but she climbed to her feet and picked up a leg from the shattered chair.

She walked around the table and stood still for a moment. She charged Nataly with the wooden club and swung, but Nataly stepped away, grabbed the club and twisted it away. Vidia coughed, not sure how Nataly had just flipped her onto her back. Nataly kicked her in the side, and Vidia used that momentum to roll away, then roll gracefully to her feet.

"Be careful!" Fawn was calling, and Vidia could hear Tinkerbell building some mechanism for getting the door open.

Vidia crossed the room and went to the pencil that was firmly stuck in the wall. She grabbed it firmly with both hands, braced her feet against the wall, and pulled, hard. It didn't budge. She felt her hands slipping, so she got another grip and pulled again.

Nataly, seeing that Vidia had her back unguarded, silently approached her, pulling a pin from her belt, and drawing her arm back, ready to run Vidia through from behind.

"Vidia – look out!" Fawn shrieked.

Vidia felt the pencil move in the wall. _I'm not letting go now._ She thought, determined. Her left hand slipped slightly, but she held on as tightly as she could. _Just a little more force and . . ._

Vidia's hand slipped off the pencil and swung in a circle. She accidentally belted Nataly in the mouth so hard that she spun around and dropped to one knee.

Vidia backed away, not having realized that Nataly was so close.

As she and Nataly both waited for the other fairy to make the first move, she took a quick look around. The beams going across the ceiling were just thin enough that she might get her hands around them. She knew she wasn't good enough to use it to power a kick like Jacquie might have, but she had other ideas.

Nataly suddenly darted toward her, about to attack, so Vidia ran straight toward her. At the last moment, Vidia jumped and grabbed the beam, flipping herself into the air, then jumping down once Nataly was past. She spun around, trying to use Jacquie's usual fighting stance. She hoped it made her look more dangerous.

Nataly seemed slightly nervous – almost worried. Vidia suppressed a smile, knowing it wouldn't work well with a fighter image. She didn't move, imitating Nataly's technique, but suddenly the room tilted around her and she dropped to her knees, dizzy, disoriented.

"Vidia?" Fawn was trying to find out what was wrong with her. "Vidia! Get up! Look out!"

Vidia couldn't quite hear what she was saying. She felt numb, and had no idea what was wrong. She blinked several times, then recovered. Everything was normal again. She frowned, slightly, then realized that it was her advantage. She pretended to still be dizzy. She heard Nataly walking up behind her, then the soft ring as she pulled a pin from it's sheath at her side.

"Vidia! Look out! Run! Vidia!" Fawn was screaming. Vidia turned her head slowly to look at Fawn, who was staring at the pin right behind her head. Nataly stabbed it through where Vidia's head had just been.


	9. Which Stone?

**Disclaimer: All recognizable story characters do not belong to me.**

**The Little Fairy**

**Chapter 9**

**Stone**

Vidia dived flat on the floor, then rolled to her feet. Whirling around, she grabbed a chair and hurled it at Nataly, who was knocked to the ground. Nataly jumped from the ground in a fancy way that surprised Vidia, but she kept her head. She punched Nataly in the face, then crouched to the ground and kicked out in a circle in a heel-kick, knocking Nataly down again.

Nataly's head slammed into the wall, and Vidia stayed at the ready for a few moments, just in case she was still conscious, but she didn't seem to be. Vidia stepped forward.

"Nataly?" she said, cautiously.

No response.

"I really didn't want to hurt you." Vidia said, aloud, and walked over to make sure that she was all right. She noticed the ring on the floor and carefully stepped around it. She knelt by Nataly and picked up a wrist to feel for a pulse only to be kneed in the shoulder and knocked on her back. Nataly was kneeling next to her with her hands around her throat.

Vidia's hands instinctively went to Nataly's hands, but after a moment she realized she wouldn't be able to pry them off. She tore part of a feather off her outfit and used it as a cloth to pick up the ring that Cassie had dropped earlier.

She heard something slamming into the door but she could see that the bar was holding well. She gripped the feather and ring more tightly, and tried to hit Nataly in the temple. Nataly was far faster though, and blocked her arm. Vidia's fingers slipped from the cloth and the ring landed harmlessly on Nataly's arm.

Nataly stiffened, letting go of Vidia's neck. Vidia pushed her off and scrambled away just as Nataly fell and landed on her face on the floor.

The ring rolled away, then flipped over with a clang. Vidia climbed to her feet, leaning on the table for balance. She stumbled to the door and pulled the bar out. Tinkerbell and Fawn stepped inside and Vidia got a glimpse of a large mechanical machine that Tinkerbell had been trying to use to get inside.

"Vidia, are you okay?" Tinkerbell asked, worried.

"I'm fine." Vidia said, panted, trying to catch her breath. "Is she? Don't touch any - rings or rocks, by the – way."

"Okay." Tinkerbell replied.

"We've been worried about you." Fawn said. "We've been searching ever since you disappeared."

"Oh – um . . ." Vidia frowned. "I was kidnapped -" Vidia only then realized that she had a bloody nose and that her bruises were starting to get sore.

"We found Araminta." Tinkerbell said. "She told us what happened. Is this Cassie?"

"No, this is Nataly, her guard. That's Cassie." Vidia pointed. As if on cue, Cassie blinked and sat up.

She glanced at Nataly, and at the ring beside her. "The ring neutralized itself!" she said, mournfully. "Nataly will go back to who she was. That's too bad. I've lost the best bodyguard I ever had." she sniffed.

"Will Nataly be okay?" Vidia asked.

"I expect that she'll wake up in a few hours and have no idea what happened to her." Cassie said, mournfully. "I'll have to use the ring on someone else. But they'll never replace her."

"You're deluded if you think Queen Clarion will ever let you use that ring again." Fawn exclaimed. "I don't think you'll ever have another bodyguard."

"You can't stop me. I'm a free fairy." Cassie lifted her chin.

"We'll take you to Pixie Hollow." Tinkerbell decided, "She'll know what to do with you."

Cassie looked horrified. "Vidia – you and Jacquie are going to regret -" Cassie began.

"Jacquie!" Vidia breathed, then sprinted outside, dropping to her knees next to the limp fairy. "Jacquie? Jacquie. Jacquie, wake up. Jacquie. _Jacquie!_"

"It's no use, Vidia." Fawn said, gravely. "She's dying. I don't think we can stop it."

"What's hurting her?" Tinkerbell asked.

"She touched that ring." Vidia answered. "It's the ring of Dispel. It draws magic and enchantment from anything it touches. A fairy can't survive without their magic."

Cassie came out of the house, and Vidia turned on her. "How can we save her? How?"

"You can't do anything for her." Cassie said, calmly.

"How has she survived for so long?"

"The ring of Dispel takes the magic away slowly. Spells and enchantments aren't completely taken away for several minutes. The magic of a fairy is more than that, but she has only minutes, I would say."

Vidia ran into the house and up the steps into the round room. She turned in a circle in the center. The rings were all in shell boxes, but the rocks were just sitting on the shelves.

"Vidia, are these her enchanted stones?" Tinkerbell asked.

"Yes. Ah – there!" Vidia ran to a shelf with two black stones on it. "I recognize these. One is the Cintamani stone and the other is the Sessho-seki stone."

"So what do they do?" Fawn inquired.

"The Cintamani stone grants wishes. The Sessho-seks stone kills anyone who touches it.

"Which one's the Cinnamon stone, and which is the Sesshi-seko stone?" Tinkerbell spoke up.

Vidia shook her head. "I don't know."

"Fawn, get Cassie. She'll know which one is which." Tinkerbell said.

"Righto." Fawn flew out to get Cassie, and only a moment later walked her in.

"Which one is the Cintamani stone?" Fawn asked.

Cassie shrugged. "I don't know. Araminta wouldn't let me have her book of enchanted objects. She probably thought that I'd use them to kill people. It would have been kinder to kill Jacquie with that one, thought." Cassie finished thoughtfully.

"You haven't tried either of them?" Vidia checked, dismayed.

"Of course not. I might have died!" Cassie exclaimed.

Vidia exhaled loudly, turning away. "We don't have time to find an ant or something to check it on."

"Hey!" Fawn exclaimed, angry.  
"Jacquie's going to die." Vidia said, turning. "I'm not going to let that happen."

"Any magic that you do on her will be undone within a minute and she'll start fading again." Cassie said. "You can't save her. How is that so hard for you to understand?"

"I _can_ save her." Vidia argued. "What if I don't wish for her magic to come back? What if I wish for her to become something that doesn't need magic to survive?"

Tinkerbell opened her mouth slightly, understanding.

"What if I turn her human?" Vidia finished. "Won't that work?"

"I don't know." Cassie shook her head.

"I've got to try." Vidia turned back to the shelf.

"That's stupid. You're going to die doing something that may not work." Cassie pointed out. "That's stupid."

Vidia ignored her and tried to remember which stone was which.

"Vidia." Tinkerbell put an arm on her shoulder. "Let me wish."  
"It isn't just wishing, Tink." Vidia said. "It's your greatest desire. Right now, mine is for Jacquie to become a human and live. You don't know her. You can't really desire that. You don't understand how completely in love she was and how completely _**stupid**_ she was about it. It has to be me."

"Let me." Fawn said, from her other side. "At least if I wish for something you'll know which stone is which."

Tinkerbell shook her head. "No, Fawn, I won't let you do that."

"I can't let _you_ do it, Tink." Fawn said, earnestly.

"Fawn -"

"Tink -"

Vidia reached out and picked up a stone, wishing with all her heart.

"No!"

"Vidia, don't!"


	10. Human

**The Little Fairy**

**Chapter 10**

**Human**

"Are you all right?"

"Never mind that – is she dead?"

"I haven't fallen over." Vidia put the stone down. "I guess it worked."

"I don't feel anything." Fawn said, as if she expected fireworks.

"I didn't wish for _you_ to be human, darling." Vidia said, with a very Vidia-ish smile. "Let's check on Jacquie."

Nataly stepped into the doorway and all four of them turned around and froze.

"Hi, Nataly." Vidia said, nervously.

Nataly shifted her weight onto one foot, then the other. "Have we met?" she asked, in a really worried tone. "I don't think I know you."

Tinkerbell laughed, relieved.

"Who are you?" Nataly was getting scared. "Where are we, anyway? Why are you all bloody?" Vidia, surprised, realized that she still had some blood on her.

"I was in a fight." Vidia said, soothingly. "Don't worry. Someone used a magical ring to put an enchantment on you. We took the enchantment off, and we're going to make sure that the ring is never used again. We're normal fairies from Pixie Hollow."

Nataly stepped away.

"We won't take you to Pixie Hollow unless you want us to." Vidia continued, familiar with her fears. "Ask us any questions you want to."

"Why is there a human on the roof?"

Vidia started, then she raced to the door and stopped. Jacquie was just getting up from the ground, wearing a fashionable human dress.

Jacquie didn't see her. She was admiring the dress and spinning in circles, incredibly happy.

"I'm human!" she murmured, "Human!"

"It worked." Vidia panted, suddenly feeling tired. "Someone's going to want to find Thomas Brown – on Needleman Street – it's next to a river. Jacquie will need a home near there."

"Sure, Vidia." Tinkerbell replied, staring at Jacquie. The first fairy who ever became a human.

Tinkerbell, and Fawn took Nataly and Cassie out of the house. Vidia moved to follow, but had trouble picking up her feet, and she tripped on the door frame. She staggered, catching herself.

Fawn glanced back. "Vidia, are you okay?"

"Yeah." Vidia nodded, slightly. "I'm fine. Just feeling like – oh – aspirin." She fell forward on her face in a faint.

**The Little Fairy**

"Oh, thank Mother Dove!" a voice spoke – loudly. It seemed familiar.

"Vidia, can you hear me?" She didn't know that voice. "Open your eyes."

Vidia blinked them wide open. The nurse fairy, startled, flew back a little.

"Do you feel all right?" The nurse asked, in a stern tone.

"I feel fine." Vidia didn't grace her with a smile.

The nurse pulled her into a sitting position. "Your wings were slightly creased when you got here. Open your wings."

Vidia obeyed.

"Close."

Vidia did so automatically. She knew the drill. She glanced around. Rosetta, Fawn, Silvermist, Tinkerbell and Iridessa were standing across the room, obviously having been told not to come over. They smiled when she looked at them, and she couldn't help but raise an eyebrow and tilt a corner of her mouth.

"A little flap . . . and try a little flutter." Vidia was getting ready to do a flitter when the nurse stepped away. "Lie down, Miss Vidia." The nurse pushed her down. "You're going to rest here at least until tomorrow. Possibly longer."

The nurse left the room.

The other fairies remained silent and still, lined up against the wall opposite the bed. Vidia regarded them for a moment.

"If you're waiting for my permission, get over here." she said, finally.

Four of them didn't waste a moment. Fawn hung back, just a little.

"I wondered if you might have touched the other stone slightly, and it might have had a delayed effect." Tinkerbell exclaimed.

"We didn't know where you were – it was so frightening!" Silvermist said.

"When he took that jar and it was empty I almost fell right out of the sky." Rosetta spoke up.

"You had everyone terrified. We didn't know what horrible things might have happened to you." Iridessa said, earnestly.

"Oh, Vidia, I was so scared. When you collapsed my heart stopped beating." Fawn confessed.

Vidia waited for them to calm down.

"What happened to me?" she asked. "I just remember that Jacquie's a human, and I wasn't feeling great."

"You collapsed."

"You fainted."

Tinkerbell and Fawn spoke simultaneously, then looked at each other.

"Go with collapsed." Vidia ordered. "What happened?"

"We flew you straight to the fairy camp, then were told to bring you here." Tinkerbell explained.

"Are we back in Pixie Hollow?" Vidia propped herself up on her elbows and looked around.

"Yes, we are!" Fawn hissed, pushing her back to lie down. "If the nurse sees you not resting she'll throw us out!"

"So what is wrong with me?" Vidia asked, from her prone position.

"Well, they sent a couple of messenger fairies and found out that you'd been dozed with aspirin. Too much aspirin." Iridessa explained. "You have Aspirinitis."

"Really?" Vidia frowned at the name.

"No, but they don't have a name for it, and we do, so we're using it." Fawn beamed.

"By the way, Jacquie told me to say that she apologizes. Actually, she apologized almost a hundred times." Tinkerbell remembered.

"Speaking of Jacquie, how's she doing?" Vidia asked.

**The Little Fairy – Now human, in London**

Jacquie stepped gently down the back alley adjoining Needleman Street. She carried her parasol daintily, and she had a fur sash resting lightly on her elbows.

She sighed. Being a human wasn't as bad as she's feared, and when she passed Thomas on the street she had smiled and nodded politely. He had tipped his hat to her. He hadn't spoken a single word, but she had nearly fainted.

She heard footsteps ahead of her and knew that Thomas was walking back from the office. She saw him come onto the alley and start walking away from her toward Needleman Street. She smiled as she saw his neat suit and handsome hat in perfect condition, just as he liked them.

She pressed herself into a corner, trying to make sure he wouldn't see her if he looked behind him. It was good that she did so then, for three rough-looking fellows were following Thomas and came into the alley.

Jacquie frowned, worried.

She heard one calling ahead to Thomas to stop. Thomas looked ahead and realized that he couldn't get out into Needleman street without them catching up, so he stopped.

"What can I do for you, gentlemen?" he asked, politely, but worriedly.

"We'd like to borrow some of your money." the ringleader stepped forward.

"I don't get my pay from the office until Tuesday, sirs." Thomas didn't back down.  
"Listen here, young fellow -" The leader stepped forward.

"No, you listen here." Jacquie called. The three men turned. Jacquie strode toward them in a yellow colored satin dress with dark red trim. "You leave this man alone. Go find someone else to bother." The feathers on her hat and the curls on her shoulders bounced as she took long steps to protect Thomas Brown the way she had always done.

"Madam, you shouldn't be here." Thomas stepped in front of her. "I don't think you realize what you've gotten us both into."

"Look at the Mademoiselle." The leader smiled, and his two thieving friends laughed. "You're practically wearing pound pieces on your fancy dress. Hand over your pocket money, Miss."

"Madam, perhaps we should just -" Thomas began.

Jacquie ignored him, stepping between him and the men.


	11. Thomas Brown of Needleman Street

**The Little Fairy**

**Chapter 11**

**Thomas Brown of Needleman Street**

The leader gestured to his two men, and one stepped forward. Jacquie drew in a breath, then daintily took off her hat. Seconds later the man was breathing in feathers and hatpins. She kicked him in the stomach with a very sharp heel, then whirled to face the second fellow. She wound her fur sash around his neck twice, and pulled slightly. She twisted it away and kicked his feet out from under him, letting him fall on his face in the dust.

She put the hat back on her head, the sash back around her elbows and turned to the leader. She shut her parasol and pulled her arm back, ready to whack him in the face with it, but suddenly she felt a hand on her elbow. She turned, facing Thomas.

He was quite pale, but he shook his head. "Don't hurt him unless you need to." Thomas begged. "He sees what you've done. Give him the chance to leave."

Jacquie blinked. "You're right." she nodded, and let Thomas guide her away from the two fallen men and the leader, who was standing, shocked.

Jacquie returned the parasol to her left hand, and Thomas offered her his arm. "May I escort you home?" he asked, politely.

Jacquie laughed, thrilled. "Perhaps I should escort _you_ home?" she joked.

Both Jacquie and Thomas heard the chink of metal, and turned simultaneously.

The leader of the muggers held a sharp knife in his hand. Jacquie stepped forward, quite ready to kick him in the chest, but suddenly Thomas was in front of her. He stepped up to the man and grabbed the man's knife hand. Thomas elbowed him in the nose, getting blood all over both of them, then twisted the knife away. Thomas kicked the man in the shin and he collapsed to one knee.

Thomas tried to brush himself off as he stepped away, but he had blood all over one arm and his shirt front.

Jacquie stared at him, startled and astonished. "That was amazing." Thomas took her arm and they started walking up the alley.

"It was nothing compared to what you did." Thomas shook his head. "I'm Thomas Brown, by the way."

"And I'm Jacqueline Graystorm. Call me Jacquie." They shook hands.

"Do you live near here?" Thomas asked,

"On Needleman Street." Jacquie said, smiling widely.

"What a coincidence. So do I!" Thomas exclaimed. "Do you have people expecting you? You saved me, and the least I can do is to offer you dinner. My parents will have it waiting for me."

"Oh, I'd love to come!" Jacquie eyes shone. "You're sure it won't be imposing?"

"We'd all love it if you'd come." Thomas assured her.

"Then I shall." Jacquie accepted.

Thomas led her two houses down, and Jacquie leaned over to look at her own home. "Why, we're almost next-door neighbors!" she said. "How lovely."

"Blood on my shirt – my parents will be horrified." Thomas mused. "I don't want you to feel put off. They're overprotective of me. I have a fairly delicate health. They're always wondering how I don't catch pneumonia, walking to work rain or shine as I do."

"How, indeed." Jacquie smiled.

**The Little Fairy**

The nurse fairy walked back in. "It's time for the visitors to go." she announced. "Vidia has to rest if she wants to get back to work this week."

"We've had only minutes." Silvermist protested.

"That's all we meant for you to get." the nurse said, mercilessly.

"Tink." Vidia spoke up. "Stay a minute. Don't worry, nurse. I'll throw her out in a moment or two."

"All right." the nurse said, reluctantly.

"What is it, Vidia?" Tinkerbell asked.

"It was your first summer on the mainland. You gave it up to bring me back here. That was pretty sweet."

"You had already done more for me, from what I heard of the rescue mission." Tinkerbell replied.

"I owe you one, Tink." Vidia insisted. "But anyway, I have to ask a favor."

"Anything, Vidia. What is it?"

"I need you to find some lost things. Things that have value for humans. Jacquie will need a way to stay around Thomas on Needleman Street until he figures out that they have to get married." Vidia explained. "I would do it, but I don't think they're going to let me out of sick bay."

Tinkerbell nodded. "Of course, Vidia. I'll get the others to help me. It'll be done and on it's way to the mainland in a flash."

"Thanks, Tink." Vidia shut her eyes. "You'd better go."

Tinkerbell flew out.

**The Little Fairy**

Vidia woke with a gasp. She glanced around, but none of the firefly lights were on. It was strange. She glanced out of the window. All of Pixie Hollow seemed dark. She narrowed her eyes and got out of bed. She stepped cautiously out the door, wondering what was going on.

She walked a little way down the hall and peeked into a side room, only to come face to face with a nurse fairy that she'd never seen before.

"_You_!" the fairy gasped. "What are _you_ doing here? You're going to get us killed! You've got to leave before they see you!"

Vidia blinked, confused.

The fairy grabbed her arm roughly and pulled her into the room and to a window. "Climb down the vine. It's nearly invisible, but it's strong. Run away from here and keep running until you're stopped." the nurse instructed.

"What are you talking about? What's going on?" Vidia demanded in a whisper.

"Just go!" the nurse pushed her toward the window.

Vidia climbed out and slid down the vine, then stepped away from the building. A shadow fell over her and she looked up.

_Pirate!_

She stepped back into the shadows as he passed, then ran.

She ran faster, and kept running.

"Psst! Hang on! Stop!" a voice whispered, and she slid to a stop.

Four strange fairies stood off the path that she'd been running on.

"Come here a minute." a blond-haired one ordered.

Vidia obeyed, uncertainly.

"No, it still isn't right." the same fairy told a fairy with short black hair shaking her head.

"Look who got dry so fast." A brunette said, teasingly.

"You'd think she'd have caught on by now." a different blonde smiled as she spoke.

The black haired fairy just grimaced.

"Don't worry." The brunette stepped toward her. "You'll get it."

"Heal fast, Vidia." the black haired fairy said.

Vidia opened her eyes.

It had been a dream.


	12. End

**The Little Fairy**

**Chapter 16**

**End**

Tinkerbell poked her head into Vidia's hospital room. "Can we come in?" she asked.

Vidia looked up, and so did a young sparrowman who had been standing next to her bed.

"Sure, Tink." Vidia said, sending a sharp look at the sparrowman.

"I was just leaving." he said, nodding politely. "Nice to see you, Vidia."

He left.

"Who was that?" Silvermist asked.

"An old friend." Vidia answered, shortly. "So, I'm really dying to know what happened after I escaped from the jar."

The fairies each pulled up a comfy mushroom and sat down.

"Why don't you start, Tinkerbell?" Rosetta suggested. "We'll make sure you don't miss anything."

"Okay." Tinkerbell paused. "We caught up with Mr. Griffiths just before he went inside a building – we had used Lizzy to fly us there while it was raining – and when he saw her fly, he believed and let you go. I mean – he opened the jar. You didn't come out, and that's when we had fairy patrol flying criss-cross all over London. You understand the meaning of _large_ when you've flown from the north west corner to the south east corner of London." Tinkerbell smiled.

"He opened the jar? I went through all of that for nothing?" Vidia asked, face extremely annoyed. "For nothing?"

"Jacquie would be dead if not for you." Tinkerbell pointed out. "Cassie would have killed her."

Vidia nodded reluctantly.

"So," Iridessa spoke up. "What happened to _you_?"

"I got out of the jar and started back the way we'd come. It started to rain again and I got downed by an enormous raindrop, but I landed on a really soft plant. Clover, I guess. Of course all of my pixie dust was gone, so I was thinking about how to get back to the fairy camp quickest when a small human boy walked over and picked me up. I got away, but he teamed up with another child to chase me down. They were just about to catch me when suddenly -" Vidia paused. A messenger fairy was standing in the doorway.

Vidia's five friends were leaning forward, holding their breaths.

"Sorry." she told them, then looked at the messenger. "What is it?"

"You have a letter and a package, Miss Vidia."

"Put them on the table." Vidia told him, sitting up.

He obeyed.

"Thank you!" Rosetta smiled at him as he left.

Vidia picked up the letter and quickly pulled it open. "It's from Jacquie!" she grinned. "Vidia, I'm really sorry about the aspirin poisoning. I didn't expect for you to ever forgive me, so I was in tears (and they weren't for show) when I received the treasure. I was told that the fairies were under instructions from you – thank you so much!

"I've already been formally introduced to Thomas, and we have so much in common that he's invited me to dinner – twice! I heard about how you fought Nataly, and I've figured out that you're a lot tougher than I ever gave you credit for. Thank you for saving my life instead of wishing for _your_ greatest desire. Your former captor, Jacquie." Vidia put down the letter. "I never thought of wishing for something else. I don't think I _have_ a greatest desire." Then she paused, thoughtfully. "I wonder what limits that stone has . . ."

Rosetta and Fawn shared a worried glance that none of the others noticed. Fawn hurriedly picked up the package and handed it to Vidia. "Open it!" she urged.

Vidia tore the leaf wrapping and set it on the table next to her bed. She smiled as she pulled out the olive fork and the pencil. She glanced at her audience. "These come into the story." she told them, then set them down and reached into the bottom of the leaf-wrapped package.

She pulled out a leaf-dress.

_Looks just like hers – but it's a little different color. Probably her second set – I never saw her wear it, though._

Vidia held it up. "This is just like the one that Jacquie wore all the time that I was with her. I complimented it just before she knocked me out with aspirin._"_

"That's gorgeous." Fawn exclaimed.

"She has very good taste." Silvermist nodded.

"I'll say." Iridessa spoke up.

"What a very nice color." Tinkerbell commented.

"I have _got _to see that on you." Rosetta said, loudly.

Everyone else paused.

"Try it on?" Vidia frowned. "I most certainly will _not!_"

"All right, all right." Rosetta admitted defeat. "Can you go on with your story, then?"

Vidia drew in a deep breath.

**That's all, folks!**

**I'd like to thank everyone who took the time to look at my story. If you enjoyed it, there are more of my stories up – but there is an overarching plot through six of them, so go to my profile to find out the order they should be read in.**

**M.J.J., signing off.**


End file.
